Dr. Johnathan Crane rubbed his temples as he sat down at his desk, life in Republic City had been getting to him.
He had moved to this city from the Earth Kingdom to take his psychiatric work to places his ideas could be expanded upon, and hopefully, if all went according to his plans, change the world for the better. But from the Triple Threats, to the Equalist threat years back (not that he would have had any problems, he couldn't bend anything), and now a new Spirit Portal in the heart of the city, his head felt like it would split in half.
When he first came here, he felt confident, fresh, and determined. Now, with every big corporation he went to rejecting his work and research, and almost getting mugged every time he went to and from work, he found that the only place he could have a shred of continuing his research, was a lowly psychiatrist at the RCA, or, the Republic City Asylum, where his toxins and research were kept under close watch by Police Chief Beifong.
Apparently, what was hopefully-to-soon-be cure for fear itself was "too dangerous to exploit to companies."
Anger built up from Dr. Crane as he stared off into the abyss that was his poorly-lit office. For Beifong, for this city, for Avatar Korra for making this hell-hole a tourist-spot everyone came to and from to visit. Looking at his files upon files of research of the human mind, and of various chemicals and plants, he opened up a file, to recap on what his research had discovered.
When he actually made his gas, which he hoped would erase fear, he was both frustrated, horrified, and quite intrigued to see that it had only increased a person's fear, up to the point to where the subject believed they were going through it. His research had not only caused fear and distrust in every company he had been interviewed, but had also gotten his office, and shitty apartment regular checks from the police.
Crane was sick of it.
Crane's head turned to the small mirror he kept at his desk, and his scowl deepened as he stared deeply into the pail, skinny, messy raven haired, lime-green eyed reflection that glared back at him, he was surprised to know that this tired, old-looking, man in the mirror was only 30 years old, he looked to be in his late 40s! A growl escaped John's throat as he picked up the mirror, and threw it into the wall, hearing the satisfying crash of glass breaking and dropping onto the floor.
Whether it be from the forceful action, or just being sick of it all, a lightbulb went off within Crane's head, which brought a small, but sinister smirk onto his face. The tired, strained wheels in his brain started to turn, slowly, but then began to grow.
If he couldn't get anyone to listen to him, much less see the marvelous work his research could bring to mankind, he would make them see it. Both figuratively, and literally.
But he needed to give it a test first, no use going to a broad scale when a small scale could be just as efficient. He stared out of the window in his office, the smirk growing into a grin.
He grabbed a vial, a small one, tucked it into his coat pocket, and left the dark, dreary Asylum, if he was going to get mugged tonight for the umpteenth time, he could at least use some defense.
It was raining, that part was obvious, but it didn't stop the obnoxiously bright and light illuminating from the Spirit Portal stretching into the sky from dimming in the slightest. Crane groaned as he continued walking down to "that part" of town.
Buildings were huddled and unkempt, and the fact that it was crawling with gangs, crime-lords, and other filth in the city, made it a horrible place to build an apartment. The few people who visited him, primarily his boss, Dr. Hugo Strange, told him that he should move. But Crane wouldn't, he couldn't. It was the only place he could afford, with such little pay from the Asylum, and at least half of his sorry excuse for a pay-check went into his research. Not that he could afford a better place if he put his research on hold.
The sounds of whispering, and footsteps following behind him alerted Crane of his usual mugging, but he didn't react. He was going to let them get close to him. So he could see his results up close and personal.
When he felt that they were almost upon him. Crane pulled out his vial, took a deep breath, turned around, and threw it at his pursuer's feet.
The vial shattered instantly at the feet of his pursuers, releasing the toxin from its prison. The coughing of Triple Threats soon followed.
"*Cough* What the Hel-*Cough*-l was tha-" The words of one of the men quickly stopped in his throats, which soon became screams, his two friends soon following. If Crane wasn't holding his breath, he would laugh. It was good to see justice where it needed to be. While each had differing reactions, all of them ran away from him, screaming in terror.
Crane's smile grew wider as the fumes cleared, turned around, and walked back home.